Dinner-pail



P. L. CROSSMAN. DINNER PML.

Patented A r. 2

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PERRY L. OROSSMAN, OF GRANBY, MISSOURI.

DINNER-FAIL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,752, dated April 2, 1889.

Y Application iiled August 6, 1.888. Serial No. 282,043. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, PERRY L. CRossMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Granby, in the county of Newton and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dinner-Fails; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a perspective front view of my improved dinner-pail. nal vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on the plane denoted by the broken line so in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the removable trays; and Fig. 5 is a perspective inside view of the roof of the casing, showing the devices for holding the knives, spoons, and forks.

Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several figures.

My invention has relation to devices for carrying food in trays, or so-called dinnerpails, of that class in which a suitable box or casing is adapted to contain a series of removable trays, in which the food is placed; and it consists in the improvements in devices of that class which will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out inthe claim.

Reference being had to the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates the exterior box or casing, which is preferably of sheet metal, rectangular in form, and provided at one end with a door, B. The handle O, for carrying the pail and its contents, is secured to the arched roof D by means of bands or straps E, securely fastened to the sides of the box and crossing the arched roof, to which they are soldered or otherwise fastened, so as to leave loops F for the insertion of the bent ends of the handle, as clearly shown in the drawings.

The sides of the box are provided on their inner sides with parallel projecting flanges G, forming ways and supports for the sliding and removable trays H. The latter are provided Fig. 2 is a longitudiwith suitably-arranged compartments I, each compartment intended for one particular article of food, or for bread, butter, and condiments, and other articles which it is desired to carry in the pail, and in the bottom of the box below the lowermost tray is made provision for a bottle, J, and butter-dish K and other articles, if desired.

To the under side of the arched roof D is fastened at one end a bail, L, curved to correspond to the curvature of the roof, and to the front end of the latter is similarly fastened an arm, M, projecting below the roof parallel to the bail L. These two devicesL andM constitute together means for holding a knife, a fork, and aspoon, which, owing to the arched shape of the roof, will be clear of the uppermost tray, so that the same may be removed and again reinsertedwithout touching these articles. At the same time they may readily be Withdrawn from the box when desired for use simply by first removing the uppermost tray, after which the hand may be inserted into the box, so as to withdraw the article required from the holders L M.

If desired, the lower part of the box may be constructed to hold an alcohol lamp or other heating device for keeping the contents of the box Warm While carrying it from one place to another.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- The dinner-pail consisting of the case having a series of compartment-ledges, a series of boxes or drawers supported upon saidledges, and the bottom compartments for holding a butter-dish and a bottle, said case .having integral with itself an arched top or cover having applied to and depending from its under side the knife and fork holding brackets having the curved approximatelyhorizontal portion, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I' claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

PERRY L. CROSSMAN. 

